1. Field of the Invention
The present inventions are directed to a package assembly, for example, a suspension package assembly that includes a substantially rigid packaging member, which permits displacement of an article support surface relative to a lateral wall of the packaging member. The suspension package assembly may also include a stretchable retention member.
2. Description of the Related Art
Protective packaging devices are often used to protect goods from shocks and impacts during shipping or transportation. For example, when transporting articles that are relatively fragile, it is often desirable to cushion the article inside a box to protect the article from a physical impact with the inner walls of the box that might be caused by shocks imparted to the box during loading, transit, and/or unloading.
In most cases, some additional structure is used to keep the article from moving uncontrollably within the box. Such additional structures include paper or plastic packing material, structured plastic foams, foam-filled cushions, and the like. Ideally, the article to be packaged is suspended within the box so as to be spaced from at least some of the walls of the box, thus protecting the article from other foreign objects which may impact or compromise the outer walls of the box.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,675,973 discloses a number of inventions directed to suspension packaging assemblies which incorporate frame members and one or more retention members. For example, many of the embodiments of the U.S. Pat. No. 6,675,973 patent include the use of a retention member formed of a resilient material. Additionally, some of the retention members include pockets at opposite ends thereof.
In several of the embodiments disclosed in the U.S. Pat. No. 6,675,973 patent, free ends of the frame members are inserted into the pockets of the retention member. The free ends of the frame member are then bent, pivoted, or folded to generate the desired tension in the retention member. Because the retention member is made from a resilient material, the retention member can stretch and thus provide a mechanism for suspending an article to be packaged, for example, within a box.